For unknown reasons, parts of flue gas ducts in the boiler house have loosened and sunk downward
Damage to unit 7 of the Heilbronn power plant. (Credit: K. Jähne/Wikipedia.org)
Last week, a major damage event occurred at unit 7 of the coal-fired power plant at the Heilbronn site. For unknown reasons, parts of flue gas ducts in the boiler house have loosened and sunk downward. No one was injured. The unit was not in operation at the time of the collapse. The collapse of the duct did not cause any emissions.
It is expected that the block will be out of service for a longer period due to repairs. The damage is currently being assessed at the power plant. More detailed information on the cause and effect of the collapse can only be provided after a complete assessment of the damage.
Unit 7 has an electrical output of 778 megawatts. Based on the principle of cogeneration, unit 7 produces climate-friendly district heating in addition to electricity. District heat generation at the site is ensured by so-called auxiliary steam generators despite the outage of unit 7. Only two industrial customers cannot be supplied temporarily from the site. These customers have been informed and have switched to self-supply.
Grid reserve units 5 and 6 at the Heilbronn site are not affected. They have been in the operational control of the transmission grid operator Transnet BW since 2015 and are called upon if necessary to support system security in the event of grid instabilities.
Source: Company Press Release